


Wild Cards

by EternallyEcho



Category: Mario Tennis (Video Games), Super Mario & Related Fandoms
Genre: Bullying, Competition, Cute, Friendship, Gross, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Insecurity, Jealousy, Light-Hearted, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Silly, Sports, Teamwork, Teasing, Tennis, troublemakers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:08:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27080101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EternallyEcho/pseuds/EternallyEcho
Summary: Wario and Waluigi seek to win a cash prize from a small tennis tournament, but are instead thrown off by a surprising pair…and their own insecurities.
Relationships: Koopa | Bowser/Mario
Comments: 6
Kudos: 22





	Wild Cards

**Author's Note:**

> Well, well, hello there!
> 
> This is just a small tennis themed story that I wanted to write starring Wario and Waluigi, but also featuring Mario and Bowser because I literally can't help (or rather deny) myself.
> 
> Originally, it was going to be an exercise so that I could practice writing Wario and Waluigi as characters, since I very seldomly use the two. I was aiming towards canon for their development, since...well, that's how they make sense to me.
> 
> As for the tennis stuff, I played Mario Tennis Aces this year. A lot. So, I've been wanting to write a little bit on that too.
> 
> Anyway, enough from me! Enjoy reading!

Outside of a questionably rundown motel, a tall and lanky man dashed across the landing and charged over to the third door on the second level. He wobbled as he sped to it, nearly passing in, and spun back around in a purple blur. Pulling his gloved hand back, he guided it hard against the door. Just before hitting it, though, he knocked a four times gently.

“Wario, you there?” The thin man picked at his pointed mustache below his pink nose. “It’s Waluigi! Are you up yet?”

About a minute passed with no response. Stomping one foot down, Waluigi then reared both arms back and pounded repeatedly on the door.

“WAAAAAAAAAA…RIO!” He punched at the motel door several times, adding in a few stomps for good measure. “IT’S WAAAAAAALUIGI! OPEN UP, COME ON!”

Though the doorknob turned, Waluigi hadn’t noticed and kept pounding on the door. Even as it opened and a sleepy, stout man dragged it back, Waluigi continued punching away, eventually knocking Wario on the head several times.

“Whaaaat, what do you want?!”

“Hey! You told me you’d be ready for today!”

“Grrr, I’m up, aren’t I?”

“You’re not even dressed yet!” Waluigi stomped down. “You can’t play tennis in an undershirt and boxers!”

“Sounds like the right outfit.”

“Get shorts and come on!” Waluigi swung his arms around. “Tennis is waiting! It’s the one thing Waluigi’s number one at!”

“No, we lost the last tourney,” corrected Wario, as he scratched his rear end. “Mario and Luigi beat us again.”

“But we can beat them this time!”

“It never changes.”

“Come on, we have to try!” Waluigi flailed his arms and spun around. “I never get a chance to do anything fun! Today’s doubles, and you’re the only one that will team up with me!”

“Only one that puts up with you too…”

“Pleeeeeaaaaase?”

“Fine, fine, gimme a minute.”

“Oh, yeeeaaaaah!” Waluigi threw a fist out, punching Wario’s head. Growling, Wario swung as Waluigi pivoted back. He put his fists up, but lowered them as he stopped. “…What are you doing in this dump anyway?”

“I was going treasure hunting.”

“You already got rich off of those microgames!”

“Spent it all.”

“What?! How?!”

“Food and microgames.”

“Well this tennis tourney has a money prize!”

“Why didn’t you start with that?!” Wario scrambled back inside. “We gotta go get ready!”

Waluigi sighed and rolled his eyes, leaning back against the railing as Wario crashed around his motel room, tossing garbage around before finding his clothes. He scurried out and the tennis partners rushed off from the motel, off to the tennis stadiums.

Passing the grass and clay courts, Wario and Waluigi made their way to the hard court stadium for the tournament. Waluigi shoved Wario’s racket into his hands. When Wario turned to glare and growl at him, however, Waluigi beamed with the most enthusiasm he could muster. Grumbling, Wario shook his head and marched onto the courts, with Waluigi excitedly following.

Two Toad officials were helping one another get ready for the matches, reviewing the rules while they adjusted their uniforms. Wario shoved past one, knocking him over.

“Hey!” The other Toad frowned and bent down to help his coworker up. “There was no call for that!”

“He was in the way,” snapped Wario. “I’m walking.”

“You’re literally going the other way,” complained the fallen Toad.

“So? He’s just excited,” excused Waluigi, cackling as he followed after Wario.

They wandered over to a bench, where a Koopa sat and chattered with a Lakitu. Spotting a water bottle, Wario swiped it and guzzled it down. He wiggled his butt as he did so, plopping down on the bench after finding a favorable spot…and pushing into the Koopa.

“Um…that was my bottle…that I was literally drinking from two seconds ago,” mentioned the Koopa. “And…my seat…”

“Learn to share,” spat Wario, with droplets of water and saliva splattering on the Koopa’s face.

“Ugh, disgusting,” murmured the Lakitu, drifting back.

“Make some room for him, will ya?!” Waluigi folded his arms as he lifted his foot onto the bench’s end. “And where’s something to eat? He hasn’t had breakfast yet!”

“Why don’t you go get us something?” Wario grinned to the Koopa, who slid from the bench and scrambled away.

“I, uh, I have somewhere else to be,” poorly managed the Koopa as he hurried off from the pair.

Watching his friend leave, the Lakitu shook his head, while Waluigi pointed his racket at him.

“What?! You got a problem with my partner?!”

“Many,” muttered Lakitu. He adjusted his goggles. “I’ve got to practice some ball fishing, so I’ll take my leave.”

Flying far across the stadium’s court, the Lakitu gave the duo one last glare before taking off to search for the tennis ball bucket.

After finishing the water bottle, Wario tossed it behind him, clocking a passing Toad in the head. Waluigi spotted it and laughed hysterically, adding “What a loser!” in between his cackling. Wario took another minute, hopped up from the chair, and scratched his butt. Waluigi raised an eyebrow as he tried to follow Wario’s gaze.

“What are you looking for?”

“Competition to clobber.” Wario started to pick his nose. “Who are we facing?”

“Hmm.” Waluigi shrugged. “I don’t know! Probably the same old cheaters that we deal with.”

“Not everyone that beats you is a cheater,” mumbled Wario. “Especially when we do some of the cheating.”

“We cheat because they cheat!” Waluigi twisted away from Wario. “And no one out-cheats Waluigi!”

“Right…”

Wario’s eyes drifted around the stadium, and then narrowed in further along the right side of the court. He flicked a booger away and punched at Waluigi to get his attention.

“Hey, look: the big Koopa!”

Wario pointed out the Koopa King himself, as Bowser glanced over his shoulder. He choked on the water that he swigged, and coughed as the troublemaker pair strolled over to him. Dropping his bottle on the bench, he dragged his claw through his red hair and turned to the duo.

“Bowser! Long time no…see…” Wario picked his nose. “Why are you wearing clothes?”

“Huh?” Bowser glanced down at his black shirt with flames on it, and stuck out his silver shoe. “They’re my tennis clothes!”

“But why are you wearing clothes?”

“Because we’re playing tennis!” Bowser dropped his leg and folded his arms. “What, I don’t look good in these?”

“You play in the buff all the time,” contended Waluigi. “There’s no point.”

“Well, no, but…uh…” Bowser rubbed behind his neck and looked aside. “Well, I thought it was a nice idea…”

“Who cares?” Wario flicked a booger away. “Bowser, let’s you and us team up!”

“Yeah! We’ll make a great team, work together, and beat those Mario Bros.!” Waluigi laughed. “They can’t deal with us and you at the same time!”

“…Oh…uh…”

“Hey, you didn’t agree right away,” pointed out Wario. He growled. “What, we’re not good enough for you?!”

“Why wouldn’t you want to team up?!” Waluigi stomped the ground. “Our teams could be great together and climb to the finals!”

“It’s not that,” murmured Bowser as he rubbed behind his neck.

“Bah, don’t give us that nonsense!” Wario smacked his stomach. “You don’t want to team up with Wario?! Fine! Then we’ll just crush you on the courts!”

“Tennis is Waluigi’s favorite!” Waluigi spun around and jabbed his racket forward, nearly whacking Bowser in the face. “We’re winning this!”

“Definitely us, and not you with your son,” agreed Wario.

“Junior?” Bowser shook his head. “He’s not in this tournament.”

“Wait, what?”

“He’s modifying his Clown Car, so he’s back at the castle,” revealed Bowser.

“Then who are you teaming up with?” Wario scratched his armpit, sniffing it and chuckling before returning his attention to Bowser, who winced at him. “Boo?”

“Uh…no.”

Waluigi scratched his head. “Is it another minion? Like Koopa? That Paratroopa? Or even Shy Guy?”

“Nope.” Bowser shrugged. “I’m with Mario.”

Wario and Waluigi stared blankly at Bowser’s small smile for a moment, and then erupted into laughter.

“WAHAHAHAHAHA!!”

“WAHEHEHEHEHEH!!”

“Ahaha, you teamed with Mario,” mocked Wario. “Now that’s a good one, Bowser!”

“Heh, you really had us going with that one.” Waluigi wiped under his eye. “So, who are you really paired up with today?”

“It wasn’t a joke,” insisted Bowser. “I’m really playing this tournament with Mario.”

“Ah, now it’s not funny anymore,” complained Wario. “Come on, you can’t drag it out, or we won’t laugh as much.”

“Yeah, we’ll actually think for too long and wonder why he’d team up with you in the first place,” explained Waluigi. “He’s got all of his other friends: Peach, Daisy, Toad, Yoshi, and…grr…Luigi…”

“…You actually thought about all of that?” Wario scratched his butt. “I just thought it was boring now.”

“Well, obviously, that too.”

“Mario agreed to team up with me because I’m _with_ Mario,” emphasized Bowser. A smug grin formed on his face, but it faded as he stared down at Wario and Waluigi’s confused faces. Lowering his eyes, Bowser sighed. “…We just started dating.”

Pausing for a moment, Wario and Waluigi gawked and looked at each other. Nervous laughter escaped them, but when they returned their attention to Bowser, he wasn’t laughing. Rolling their eyes, they groaned and waved their hands in front of their faces.

“Boo! That was a stinky joke!” Wario snorted. “Why would you tell that one?”

“I’m not joking!” Bowser folded his arms and bared his teeth. “Mario and I are trying something new.”

“Ok, I’ll bite,” decided Waluigi. “You honestly expect us to believe that Mario would agree to dating you, when _everyone_ in the Mushroom Kingdom knows that he has eyes for Peach, and that you’d agree too, when everyone _also_ knows that you lust like crazy for Peach.” Waluigi placed a hand on his hip. “Why?”

“Peach doesn’t like me, so that was reason enough for me to give up…eventually,” determined Bowser. “And I thought she and Mario got along like that, but they only flirt for fun, while she doesn’t really want to date him.” His eyes lowered and he frowned as his brow furrowed. “I don’t get that part.” Bowser paused for a moment, as his eyebrows lifted. “Then again…she does seem to take to that Mayor Pauline…and they’re a team today too…”

“Oh, come on!” Wario threw his arms up. “That doesn’t explain why Mario would want to be with you!”

“Yeah!”

“He’s the one that asked me out to begin with,” divulged Bowser. “He thought we should try promoting more peace in the world, and he figured that a relationship like ours could help make the Mushroom Kingdom relations between each race become even closer, if two enemies could get over their differences enough to find love between one another.”

“Also, because he’s figuratively and literally hot.”

Everyone jumped and spun around as Mario walked in, a towel around his neck and a racket in his hand. He strolled up and smirked at Bowser, tugging on his shirt.

“Flames definitely help accentuate that,” teased Mario. “And the shorts are red. Hm. What prompted that one?”

“Take a wild guess,” muttered Bowser as he blushed and glanced away.

“Ha, well, I think it’s cute of you,” complimented Mario. “Overall, I love it so much! Your tennis outfit looks great!”

“Ah…ha, thank you,” managed Bowser, lifting his racket in front of his red face. “I like yours too. White looks good on you, and works well with the red.”

“Oh yeah?” Mario grinned. “I’ll have to try it more often!” He twirled his racket around and winked to Bowser. “Ready to win this tournament?”

“Of course I am!” Bowser pumped up his fist. “Even if it’s a small one, it’s still worth the win!” He brushed his hand through his hair to push it back more. “Also, it’s our first one together as a couple, so I wanted to make it special…”

“Aw, that’s sweet!” Mario nodded raised his racket. “Ok, now we definitely need to win!”

“What kind of a stupid joke is this?!” Wario stomped on the ground. “Are you both just in on some weird prank that we missed out on?!”

“Huh?” Mario blinked and adjusted his visor. “What’s the joke?”

“You two!” Waluigi tightened his grip on his racket. “Honestly, dating?! I don’t even get why you two would get together, that’s so ridiculous!”

“Well, we—”

“Already tried explaining it,” interrupted Bowser.

“Oh.” Mario blinked and rubbed his arm. “Then…why are they so upset over us?”

“If I got it correctly, they wanted to team up with me to clobber you,” summarized Bowser. “Which…would’ve only lead to us facing off against one another anyway, so I don’t get the point in that one either.”

“Haven’t you done that before?”

“That was different back then.”

“Enough!” Waluigi jabbed his racket forward. “This nonsense has gone on long enough, so just quit it and let’s see the rest of the teams already!”

“They’re right over there,” pointed out Mario, gesturing to the other players around the court. “And the bracket’s literally being displayed everywhere.” He pointed to the jumbotron screen, which showed each of the teams set up. “In fact, you’re facing us in the first match.”

“Wait, what?!”

Wario and Waluigi whirled around, spotting the teams across the screen. Sure enough, they were facing off against Mario and Bowser in the first match. The second match featured Luigi and Donkey Kong against Birdo and Daisy. The third had Yoshi paired with Toad against Koopa and Boo. Last were Shy Guy and Paratroopa facing off with Peach and Pauline.

Grinning widely, Wario rubbed his hands together, taking in the teams as they started to gather closer around the court together.

“This looks like easy competition,” he decided. “Bunch of weak pretty princesses, useless minions, and the only real match after this one is—”

“Against Luigi,” fumed Waluigi as he lifted his fist.

“Uh, I was referring to Donkey Kong,” specified Wario. “Big burly ape guy is a lot more menacing than—”

“Luigi loses today! You hear me?! He loses,” thundered Waluigi. “Waluigi will be number one! Tennis belongs to Waluigi, and we’ll win this tournament to prove it!”

“…Why is it always Luigi,” muttered Wario beneath his breath, “Why?”

“To get to them, you have to beat us,” challenged Mario. He smacked his racket against his palm. “And we don’t plan to lose.”

“Definitely not,” agreed Bowser with a toothy grin. “These clowns are expecting to beat us?” He laughed. “We’re the strongest pair here!” Bowser glared down to Wario and Waluigi. “You two won’t stand a chance.”

“A little more fiercely than I would’ve put it,” admitted Mario, hiding his chuckle. “But, he’s right! We’re winning this one!”

“Never happening,” snapped Waluigi. “Waluigi will win! …With…Wario.” He grinned as Wario glared at him. “We’ll be tennis team supreme!”

“Yeah! And win that cash prize too!” Wario guffawed as he pumped his arms to show off his muscles. “Take a good look, losers! Your big tennis date ends against us!”

“Greetings tennis fans!” The voice of a Toad announcer filled the stadium. “The tennis tournament is set to begin in just mere moments! We’ll have our first match, with an exciting and unexpected debut of Mario and Bowser as a team, facing off against the classic crass characters, Wario and Waluigi!”

“Hey, hey!” Waluigi stomped his foot. “That’s insulting!”

“Pretty spot on regardless,” mumbled Bowser.

“Let’s have those teams enter the court to begin the match!” A second Toad announcer called before he cleared his throat. “First up, Bowser and Mario!”

“Whoo!” Peach waved as she and Pauline walked to the side. “Do your best Mario!”

“Yeah! We’re looking to face off against you two in the finals,” called Pauline. “Let’s see you there!”

“Go get ‘em, bro!” Luigi waved for them as well.

“Win it for the Koopas, King Bowser,” cheered Koopa.

“Make sure they suffer swiftly,” echoed Boo, as he giggled and floated around.

Even the fans flooding into the stadium joined in with cheers of their own, waving red, white, and black banners and flags, matching Mario and Bowser’s emblems.

“Mar-i-o! Mar-i-o!”

“Bow-ser! Bow-ser!”

Waving as they raced onto the courts, Mario jumped around, getting the crowd’s excitement up. Bowser breathed out a wave of fire overhead, pumping the audience up. Finally, Mario jumped over the flames as Bowser lifted his hands, catching Mario and hoisting him up high, with everyone shouting out for the team as they broadly beamed out and waved their rackets.

“Show-offs,” grumbled Wario. “We can do better.”

“Much better, because we’re the best!” Waluigi snickered. “Let’s crush them!”

“Next up, their challengers, Wario and Waluigi,” called the first announcer.

Laughing as they charged onto the field, Wario and Waluigi waved their arms around, flailing and hopping to get attention. A small section of fans holding yellow, purple, and indigo banners slowly clapped, glancing around at the others in the crowd, who eyed them with suspicion and confusion.

“Wait, you’re cheering for them?”

“We were late purchasing signs and flags.”

“Oh wow, they really have them for every team.”

“Well, they are around for almost every tennis tournament…”

Dying down from their overexcited enthusiasm, Wario and Waluigi dropped down, scowling at the noticeable difference in the audience’s energy for them contrasted from their opponents. Tightening his fist, Wario growled, while Waluigi’s shoulders fell and his racket lowered.

They glared past the net and across the court at Bowser, who spun his racket as he shifted his stance forward, and then to Mario, who paddled the tennis ball along the service line. He lobbed the ball up and caught it, while Bowser glanced back to watch him.

“Should I announce the score with each serve?” Mario checked with a Toad line judge on the sidelines. “Or are we letting the announcers do it? I could just yell out, ‘Love serving Love,’ if that’s easier.”

“But you’re not serving me,” teased Bowser, smirking as Mario blushed and waved his racket at him.

“Looks like the match is set to begin,” called the second Toad announcer. “First serve is Mario’s, with Love serving Love!”

“Oh, ok, that works,” determined Mario. He watched as the Toad line judge shrugged to him. “Wasn’t the plan? Ah well.” He spun back around, waiting as Wario and Waluigi stumbled to their positions. “Ready? Here we go!”

Throwing the tennis ball up, Mario smashed it across the court. Wario pulled his arm back and smacked it back over, as Waluigi rushed for the net. Bowser slammed it at Waluigi, who quickly volleyed it back to him.

However, Bowser lobbed it up over Waluigi, down to the far side of the court that Wario hadn’t hurried over to. The ball bounced down in the corner twice, as Wario and Waluigi crashed into each other chasing after it.

“Fifteen-Love,” announced the first Toad.

“Nice lob by Bowser,” complimented the second. “Mario’s preparing his next serve!”

“What was that, stupid?!” Wario growled at Waluigi.

“Me?! You should have had that!” Waluigi stomped down. “I was covering the net!”

“Maybe you two should actually get ready for the next serve,” dryly mocked the Lakitu that drifted by, swinging his fishing rod to collect the ball.

Repositioning themselves along the court, Wario and Waluigi lifted their rackets again. Wario glanced back and scowled at Waluigi, who sneered back at him. But then he looked at the audience, almost filled with red flags and banners for their opponents. He sank down and sighed, studying his racket for a moment.

“Here comes the serve!”

Blinking, Waluigi glanced up, as the tennis ball whizzed right past him. He gawked and checked back, as the ball bumped off of the wall and bounced a bit before rolling away.

“Thirty-Love, a clean point there!”

“Wow, a powerful Service Ace by Mario!”

“Where are you even looking?!” Wario stomped at the ground and jabbed his racket forward. “Come on!”

“Ok, ok!”

Jerking around and refocusing, Waluigi leered at Mario, who scratched his head with a frown. Bowser cheered as his tail wagged around, waving to Mario as they readied for the next serve.

Spinning the ball on his finger, Mario dropped it and bounced it around with his racket, waiting a moment as Wario smacked his belly.

“To-day!”

Nodding with a smirk, Mario tossed the ball up, as Bowser lightly roared at their opponents. Wario rolled his arm as he watched the racket sliced into the ball, and charged up as it neared.

Swinging his arm forward, Wario hammered the ball back across, as Bowser rushed over and slammed it back down the court. Waluigi stretched over and smacked it back, but Bowser lobbed it up again.

“Not this time,” Wario growled, chasing where the ball was set to land.

Holding his ground as the ball plummeted to him, Wario smashed the ball back across the court, with his Star Shot sailing past a mildly impressed Bowser.

Mario, however, jumped for the ball and sliced it back across. Waluigi twirled around and smacked a flat shot back to him, but Bowser slid in front of it and promptly slammed it back past him.

Though Wario hurried off after the ball, it bounced and sailed past him, earning Mario and Bowser another point.

“Forty-Love! Wario just couldn’t keep up. What a rally though!”

“Bowser and Mario seem to have a dominating combination! Can Wario and Waluigi turn this back around?”

“Stupid announcers,” grumbled Wario.

“We’re going to turn this around and win it all,” shouted Waluigi, swinging his arms around and pointing at the announcer’s booth in the distance. “We’re number one! Wario and Waluigi win here, and we’ll prove it to you all!” Wario blinked and scratched his backside as Waluigi stormed to his position.

“You have to admire their confidence in the face of adversity,” observed Mario as he strolled past Bowser, winking to him.

“That or you can respect their sheer stupidity and stubborn will,” murmured Bowser, sticking his tongue out as Mario lowered his eyes.

“Game Point for Bowser and Mario!”

Throwing the ball overhead, Mario flatly smacked a nice serve across to Waluigi. Grinding his teeth as the ball soared to him, Waluigi pulled his arm back and sliced it across to Bowser, who spiraled around to backhand it away.

Wario chased the ball and tumbled around, lobbing the ball into the air. He groaned as Bowser backpedaled and reared his arm up for the shot.

As the racket smashed into the ball, however, Waluigi charged across the court. The ball sped past Wario, but he stepped aside as Waluigi swung back and smacked the ball with topspin, sending it past Bowser.

Mario ambled over and bopped the ball over the net, as it gently bounced over it. Wario and Waluigi scrambled back over, but failed to meet his drop shot, as the ball softly bounced twice along the court.

“Game: Mario and Bowser!”

The audience erupted into cheers as Wario and Waluigi picked themselves up. Mario laughed as Bowser hurried over and scooped him up, gleefully swinging him around. Mario rubbed his shoulders and patted him as Bowser placed him back down. Forcing himself upright, Waluigi tightened his grip on his racket and glared at the couple. Wario nudged him and raised an eyebrow, shifting his eyes at the crowd and back to Waluigi.

“What are you all annoyed over?”

“Nothing!” Waluigi stormed to the net. “Let’s just win this!”

Tilting his head as he watched Waluigi line up, Wario shrugged and swiped a tennis ball from the nearest Toad official. He barely waited as Mario and Bowser lined up, striking the ball over to them.

“Whoa, wait,” called the first Toad announcer, “we haven’t even announced anything yet!”

“Guess Wario is fired up for this one!” The second Toad announcer lightly chuckled. “Waluigi looks it too!”

Dashing over to the edge of the court, Mario smacked the ball back across, as Waluigi lined up by the net. He spiked it back across, as Bowser scrambled back to meet the ball. Waluigi slammed it down again, as Mario chased it. Wario laughed, folding his arms back as Mario and Bowser alternated battling Waluigi at the net.

“Don’t know where that came from, but he’s really fighting for it!” Wario laughed. “Good! Wario wants to win too!”

The ball finally sped past Waluigi and Wario jogged over for it. He pulled his arm back and swung, batting it across the net.

Even still, the audience cheered louder whenever Mario and Bowser knocked the ball across. This included their friends and minions along the sidelines.

“Go bro go!”

“Come on sire!”

Waluigi stumbled as he lost his footing, while Wario hustled to smash the ball back over to the couple. Bowser brought his arm back, but lifted it away entirely with a smirk, as Mario smacked it across the court, capitalizing on Waluigi’s misstep.

“Love-Fifteen, another point for Mario and Bowser!”

“Five points in a row! Wow! They must be pretty pleased!”

Wario growled as he grabbed another ball, nodding as Waluigi hurried into position. In spite of the cheering audience, they fired the ball out again, still rallying for more.

Some hours later, however, Mario and Bowser hurried onto the court, meeting up against Peach and Pauline. The crowd erupted into excited roars for the finals of the tennis tournament, with most of the other teams on the sidelines cheering for the teams.

“Ready to win this one, Mayor Pauline?” Peach giggled and winked to her partner, who blushed a bit and grinned in return.

“Absolutely, Princess Peach!” Pauline tugged on her visor and smirked as she eyed her opponents. “Those boys won’t know what hit them.”

“We made it this far, Mario,” called Bowser. He tightened his fist as he lifted it up. “But it’s not perfect until we’ve won it together!”

“Well then, let’s get to it! Our first win together!” Mario smiled to Bowser as he raised his thumb. “Here we go again, one more time!”

Cheering filled the stadium as the teams readied for the rally.

Outside of the stadium, though, Wario rubbed his nose while Waluigi sank down on a bench, burying his head into his hands and shaking it. Wario sighed and waddled over to his partner, scratching at his stomach.

“Ok, what’s up?” Wario tapped his foot as Waluigi lifted his head. “What, are you going to cry?”

“No!”

“Then what?”

“Tennis should be for me!” Waluigi smacked the bench, but winced and clutched his hand.

“Stupid.”

“Shut up!” Waluigi sprang up from the bench. “Just once! Just once, Waluigi wanted to be the best, to win!” He slouched and sank down. “But even at my best sport, I still can’t win everyone over…and I still can’t be the winner…”

“We almost always lose to Mario,” pointed out Wario. “So what’s the big deal?”

“Everyone always loves him!” Waluigi threw his hands up. “Everyone loves Mario! And Bowser! And Peach, and Daisy, and Yoshi, and Pauline! Even…grr…Luigi…!” Waluigi stomped down. “But! No! One! Loves! Us!”

“Who cares?”

“I do!”

“Then stop.”

“Why?!”

“Because then you’ll be miserable all the time.” Wario waited as Waluigi stopped, gazing down at him. “Look, that’s always your problem. You want everyone’s approval, but we’re never good enough for it.”

“We should be!”

“No, you keep thinking that, and you’ll never get anywhere,” argued Wario. “I stopped caring all the time, and decided to do what makes me happy: make games, eat food, and hunt treasure.” He placed his hands over his belly. “Even when I invite you along though, you never feel good enough to join in, always moping off.”

“And training!” Waluigi folded his arms and indignantly lifted his head away. “Waluigi doesn’t just mope! He’s always busy training at sports for the next tournaments!”

“Do that and you’ll never have fun living,” countered Wario. “I have friends away from these losers. And…” Wario sighed. “Even still, they’re not so bad here.”

“Ew.”

“It’s true!”

“…Yeah, I know…”

“Then?”

“Winning at sports is what makes me happiest though,” protested Waluigi. “That’s why I live to practice, especially tennis!” He sighed. “Between all of their adventures, I keep thinking that Mario and the others will get sloppy, but they never do.”

“Stop trying to beat them and just play for fun,” persisted Wario. “And money, of course! That’s what really matters.”

“Hmm.” Waluigi drummed at his shoulders for a moment, but then shrugged. “We’ll see. I guess I do that with golf, but other sports—”

“Wait, we could just rob the money away for ourselves,” realized Wario. “Why don’t we go do that?!”

“Because I don’t want to get banned from the next tournament…again,” contested Waluigi. “Let’s just go practice to win the next one! And get more money from that!”

“Bah…fine.” Wario looked back at the stadium. “…Want to see which of the losers win?”

“Nope!”

“Eh, ok.” Wario shrugged and strolled off. “Then let’s go make mischief elsewhere!”

“Aw, yeah! Let’s see who else we can make more miserable then us!”

“Now you’re talking! I bet there are some Toads to bully! Wahahaha!”

“Waheheh! Oh, oh, or we can out-bully the Bullies, those armless freaks!”

“Ha, that would be great!” Wario chuckled. “Haven’t bashed those losers off of bridges and platforms in a while. We should do that!”

“Yeah! …Hey, Wario?”

“Huh?”

“Thanks.”

“Ugh, don’t go getting soft on me,” complained Wario. “Come on, let’s go pick on someone already, or get some food, or hit things!” He smacked his fist into his palm. “I’m all out of mushy moments, got it?!”

“Duh.” Waluigi blinked as Wario glared at him. “Uh. You got it!”

“You’re lucky I like you.”

“Aren’t _you_ lucky that _I_ like _you_?”

“No.”

“Wah…”

“Come on already!”

“Ok, ok!”

Cheering and applauding erupted from within the stadium, but neither Wario nor Waluigi cared to listen anymore. They charged off from the stadiums and off into the world, seeking to find joy in whatever suited them for the moment and pleased them in the long run.

**Author's Note:**

> Aren't they just such wonderful...bully friends? I guess that works.
> 
> In the past few years that I've written fanfics, I tended to steer clear of Wario and Waluigi, since I favor somewhat serious writing, and I consider them comedic relief characters. Those are good to include to lighten the tone, but my writing for humor usually comes for situational jokes and deadpan snarking, not intentional and deliberate nonsense. Since Wario and Waluigi tend to excel for the latter, I didn't want to bring them down. Also, their motivations are quite different from others that I favor, so that too.
> 
> Still, I've been meaning to write them in some fashion, because they are fun characters to use. And, if you play up their sympathetic sides, they're not totally bad either! After all, I think they just want love and adoration deep, deep...deep down in their cores. If you really think about it, a lot people desire that, so they should be no different.
> 
> This was originally going to have Mario and Bowser in a less pronounced appearance, at least for me, but...well, it is me, so of course I made them more important characters. Bowsario fluff helps, right? It was actually pretty fun having most characters cheer them on rather than questioning them. Or having the two of them question each other or their own feelings. Wario and Waluigi are thrown off, but otherwise, Bowser and Mario just get to be happy together. It's rare and nice!
> 
> (There's even some light Peach/Pauline because I wanted to include them too, and I was so tempted to do more with them. If I had more free time to work with, I totally would have. ...Also, if it didn't take away from Wario and Waluigi, which it would have, but whatever! They're worth it.)
> 
> Ok, I think I've rambled on long enough. Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. Take care!


End file.
